fields of maiZe and berryZ

The Berryz Koubou & °C-ute Nakayoshi Battle Concert Tour 2008 Haru ~Berryz Kamen vs. Cutie Ranger~ concert was released this week, and in the midst of doing this review, I have watched some of these performances between 6-10 times… Mainly because I keep getting distracted by the insane antics of people in wotachat, that I’d have to go back and watch the performance again.

But anyway, I have been long awaiting this concert, and now that it’s here, I get to review it! This one’s a long one (aren’t all of my reviews - concert, PV/single or album - long anyways XD) so sit back, relax and enjoy!

1. OPENING

2. Darling I LOVE YOU
This clip was available on Dohhup!! a few days before the release, so I’d seen the performance already. Once C-ute’s ‘Namida no Iro’ was released and their version of ‘Darling I LOVE YOU’ and I realized that C-ute’s version was exactly the same as Berryz Koubou’s version, except that Airi and Maimi got the solo lines in comparison to Risako and Miyabi in Berryz’s version, I had given up all hope of a cool battle SOMETHING for this song… But nope. In fact, I find the dance for this song pretty boring. It’s very stationary, However, the song is pretty energetic, so it’s an okay start to the concert. In the main version of the concert, we get the Berryz version of ‘Darling I LOVE YOU’ and I must say, Risako doesn’t get off to a good start. I’m wondering if this recording is going to have her screwed up performance of ‘Very Beauty’. Miya on the other hand is wonderful and fabulous! XD

What I like here is that the girls are all in the same outfits and HA! Berryz has the nicer ones for once… At least for me, ’cause I can’t stand pink… And Berryz got blue! Booyah!

3. Special Generation
Here we get Berryz and C-ute splitting the lines. I’ve mentioned this before, but I don’t like people taking Miyabi’s “wow yeah”s. Miya rocks both of hers, while Airi cuts off her first one a bit - or rather she pulls her mic away from her mouth too soon. It kills the effect. Yes, I realize I get amazingly anal about these things… XD

The dance looks a little funny in these outfits, particularly when they bend forward and shake. It looks like the fluffy skirts are in the way as they bend over.

4. Ooki na Ai de Motenashite
Watching through this song, I was about to have a heart attack. After Special Generation being so blatantly split down the middle, I was ready to spit nails when I saw that only Maimi and Airi were getting solo lines for this song. Then the instrumental bit ended and Miya started singing. That calmed me right down. XD It actually amused me seeing how upset I got from that. I’m amazed that they didn’t give Risako a solo line in this song, and instead one went to Yurina. I feel that Risako got way too many solo lines in this concert. I had quite a few issues with some of them.

5. VTR - Member Introduction
This is like the coolest opening VTR ever! One thing I noticed is that C-ute got the cooler form of communication. Berryz got boring cell phones, while C-ute got communicators reminiscent of the Power Rangers. I can hear the “Go Go Power Rangers!” beep in my head right now. However, I like Berryz Koubou’s head pieces better than C-utes, so I guess it all evens out.

6. MC1

7. Namida no Iro - °C-ute
I love this song. I love this dance. Maimi and Airi sing their lines quite well in this performance. This really is the Maimi/Airi show, but how can you fault them when they perform it so well? And for the record, Chisato’s hat is total win!

8. Munasawagi Scarlet - Berryz Koubou
Miya sounds a little out of breath in the first half of the song (during her “Aakeido…” line), which is weird, but she picks it up for the second half. Risako, on the other hand, started out well, but killed her last line (in a bad way…). You know, I’ve been thinking about the dance to this song a lot recently for some reason, and it’s amazing how much the funny leg kicks have grown on me.

9. MC2 - Berryz Koubou
Heh.. Watching through the concert, I wonder why this list in the setlist on theppn. There is no MC segment here. It goes straight to LALALA.

10. LALALA Shiawase no Uta - °C-ute
Not much to say about this performance. I’m not a big fan of the song or the dance. It’s not bad, but it’s nothing spectacular either.

11. Dschinghis Khan - Berryz Koubou
I don’t know what it is about this song and Chinami, but there’s just something about this combination that really wins me over. She doesn’t have a solo line in this song, but the energy and confidence that she has performing this song sets her apart in my mind. There’s a look of true enjoyment that comes onto her face with this song. It was apparent in the PV for Dschinghis Khan, and I see it here as well.

12. Tokaikko Junjou - °C-ute
You know, I really wish that one of the joint songs was either Namida no Iro (which obviously wasn’t going to happen since it’s their latest single) or this one. Not because I particularly need to hear the Berryz girls SING the song, but I really want to see how they dance to it. I haven’t liked any of Berryz choreography as much as I like the choreography in Tokaikko and Namida no Iro.

I’m always impressed with how the girls can sprint down the stage and go right into singing without sounding winded. Maimi owns all the girls dance-wise, but you can’t see Nakasaki very well, for it seems like she’s the competition to watch out for in this group when it comes to dancing.

13. Tsukiatteru no ni Kataomoi - Berryz Koubou
At the start of the song, Risako has such a fake, forced smile that I find highly amusing. During the first chorus, did Miya forget that they were going to be switching to the other side of stage, for she looked slightly delayed compared to the other girls in turning around. Risako sang pretty well in this song, so I have no idea what the heck happened in the next number.

14. VERY BEAUTY - Sugaya Risako and Suzuki Airi
Okay… So why in the world did Risako get this song? I complained about this when the setlist came out, and with very good reason… She DESTROYS this song. Ugh… I don’t want to pile on the Risako hate, but man… You butcher one of my favourite BK songs, and I start getting upset… She looks a little drunk as walks unsteadily down the steps at the start of the song. I’ve read other reviews saying that Risako has improved, but really, I find her voice just isn’t stable enough for this song. Her vocal control is horrible for the sustained notes.

Someone pointed out on the JPH!P forums that this performance was actually the same performance where Risako screwed up the lyrics. Instead of singing “Sore ga miryoku yo” she sang “Sore ga onna yo”. They covered it up by overlaying audio from another performance. I find that the camera work gives it away, because the camera angles are all closeups before and after that line. However, during that line they show a shot from further away, and from reading her lips, it doesn’t look like she said ‘miryoku’. Ugh… It’s one thing to screw up your lyrics… it happens. But I think it’s particularly embarrassing because she’s singing this song with Airi, a member of Berryz’s rival group. Airi got all her lyrics correct and blew Risako out of the water in her vocal performance.

Really, this should have been Airi and Miyabi. I would say Momoko could do it as well, but she doesn’t actually have any solo lines in Very Beauty, so picking between Miya, Risako and Yurina from Berryz, there really shouldn’t have been any doubt as to who would perform this best. But who understands why things are the way they are in H!P?

15. Bokura no Kagayaki - Okai Chisato, Arihara Kanna, Tokunaga Chinami, Sudou Maasa, and Kumai Yurina
I have a top 3 for my favourite performances in this concert, and this is first in that list (not necessarily that it was the best, but that it comes first in the setlist). Chisato is awesome in this performance. Not to say that I don’t want the other girls singing some solo lines, but I really have this song filed as Chisato’s song in my head. So the fact that she’s the only one with any solo lines here totally makes my day. I say she deserves some time in the spotlight for she is highly overlooked within C-ute.

My personal preference for this song is a voice with more of an edge to it. Chisa and Kanna’s lines are more enjoyable to me, possibly because they’re 2/3 of the original trio who sings this song. But at the same time, of the 3 Berryz performing in this song, only Chinami doesn’t have a softer voice. I don’t want to use the word “sharp” to define a voice, because it could be misinterpreted to mean that the girls were singing off key. But I hope that people are understanding what I’m saying in regards to a “softer voice” versus a “voice with some edge”. Because I love this performance so much, here’s a video clip of it!

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16. Sayonara Hageshiki Koi - Shimizu Saki, Tsugunaga Momoko, Natsuyaki Miyabi, Yajima Maimi, Nakajima Saki, and Hagiwara Mai
Here is the second of my top 3 favourite performances. I think I’d have to say this is my overall favourite performance in the concert. So, in one way, I’m sort of glad that Miya didn’t sing Very Beauty with Airi because I absolutely adore this song, and Miyabi just ROCKS here. I love the shoulder bounce dance move they do during the instrumental.

I gushed about this song in my Berryz’s 4th album review, and this is song definitely one of my favourite Berryz Koubou songs, singles, b-sides and album songs all considered. The intensity of the song never fails to energize me, and live performances of it completely make my day! I’m not too fond of MaiMai taking Risako’s starting line. I don’t find her voice is smooth enough for this song. A cutesy voice doesn’t blend well for the tone of this song, IMO. However, I find that Momoko fits well in this song, for she uses more of her Buono! voice rather than her usual high-pitched Berryz squeak for this track.

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17. MC3

18. That’s the POWER
When I first heard this song at a previous C-ute concert, and then listened to it on C-ute’s 2nd mini album, I didn’t like it too much. However, I find it’s energy is infectious and the song has definitely grown on me. The Buono! members are noticeably absent during this number.

19. Do Don Ga Don Ondou
I’m not a big fan of this song, for reasons I covered in my review on C-ute’s 3rd album. However, Erika has a solid performance here. It’s not particularly exciting or standout for me, but it’s solid.

20. Honto no Jibun - Buono!
Okay, I know that in later concerts, the setlist changed to Renai Rider and Kiss!Kiss!Kiss! for the Buono! section… WHY DIDN’T THEY PUT ONE OF THOSE CONCERTS ON DVD?!? They could have avoided the Risako screw up on Very Beauty (I am assuming that she didn’t screw up the lyrics at every concert), and we’d get Kiss!Kiss!Kiss! I wonder if in later concerts their costumes changed to something more Kiss!Kiss!Kiss!-esque for the Buono! segment.

However, must say that the eggs are dancing with conviction for Honto no Jibun. XD

21. RenaiRider - Buono!
Miya and Momoko have a bit of trouble with their opening solo lines. I don’t really compare their singing to Airi’s here because really, I find Airi has it the easiest in Renai Rider, seeing as all her lines are within the middle of her vocal range. Miya and Momoko on the other hand, their opening lines are towards the lower end of their vocal range. I often fail when singing in my lower range. I find it a lot easier to hit high notes than low ones. The lines they get later in the song are sung well by both girls, so really, rather than say that Airi sang it better, I’d like to see Airi get lines in the same range as Miya and Momoko before I decide on that.

However, I will mention that Airi’s shorts are just WOW… o_O They seem to cling to her bum a lot more than her original shorts in the Renai Rider PV did. I don’t know what it is, maybe she’s grown up some since Renai Rider released, maybe it’s the material, but it’s bordering on scandalous for a 14 year old, in my mind… >_<

22. Natsu DOKI Lipstick - Yajima Maimi, Nakajima Saki, and Shimizu Saki
I love this song. Maimi performs it very well here, and the Captain Saki versus Nakasaki dance battle was quite enjoyable to watch. The two of them put a lot of energy into their dancing. You don’t find any lazy dancers here. The instrumental was particualrly enjoyable, having all three girls give it their all as they danced their hearts out. Maimi’s chest thrusts were quite forceful.There is just so much win in this number! And this song rounds out my 3 favourite performances for the concert. I don’t know if I like this performance better than Bokura no Kagayaki. It guess it just goes to show that Miya > All in my books (minus Ayaya, that is) and Maimi = Chisato, or at least they’re very close for me.

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23. Massara Blue Jeans - °C-ute
Maimi and Airi’s voices go really deep in the opening lines. I listened to the recorded version to see how it usually sounds. I figure it’s just fatigue setting in. It’s not off key or anything, it’s just really deep sounding. Like Aichan’s man voice. XD

Why, oh why did Risako get Megumi’s bit after the instrumental in this song? I just really don’t get the line distribution sometimes. Actually, Risako doesn’t do too badly on her usual lines from Berryz Koubou songs (excluding Very Beauty). I just really take issue with the lines she gets in C-ute songs where it really would have been nice to give another girl a chance… Or if whoever distributes the lines really wanted to keep it all with the leads, give more (or at least the particularly demanding vocal lines) to Miya or Momoko because they handle them a lot better than Risako.

24. Jiriri Kiteru
This song was mainly Berryz with solo lines. Maimi and Airi each got one near then end, taking a Momoko and Miya line, respectively. I’m just glad that Miya still got to finish the song off. I really do chuckle at how possessive I am over Miya’s lines.

25. MC4

26. JUMP
So, Chisato didn’t get a solo line in this performance, but she did get her “Wow!”, and she sounds so cute! There are actually very few solo lines in this performance… Maimi and Airi don’t get any. Wow… XD

27. Yuujou Junjou oh Seishun
I like that they end the pre-encore concert with two of my favourite H!P Kids b-sides. They’re both great songs that you can really get pumped up with. I think I first noticed this song while watching the Wonderful Hearts 2007 Winter concert, and I’ve loved it ever since. In that concert it was also performed by Berryz and C-ute.

28. MC5
This MC is amusing. I have no idea what they’re talking about but, it made me lol. Maimai cracked me up when the Cutie Rangers were knocked to the ground, and she looks like she’s having the time of her life being smacked around my this weird flying red-eyeball thing with 4 wings and a tail. Though, I wonder why Risako was trying to serenade the evil thing, and what he said in response to her “attack”. She adopted a very bashful look at his response. Was he hitting on her? XD

29. Warera! Berryz Kamen
I love how they kill the enemy with a song… Should that be taken as an insult? “Hey girls!! Your song killed someone!” o_O

This is a cute song, and it’s nice that the non-leads get their featured moment here, seeing as this b-side has no Miya, Risako or Momoko solo lines. For C-ute’s solo lines, I think there should have been a Chisato line in there. They could have broken up NakaSaki’s line to share it with Chisa, but NOOO… Of course not. Maasa did really well with her bridge(?) solo. Just a little observation on the dancing: Risako’s got a mad case of lazy dancing at some point in this song…

Watching through this, I was just wondering why it is that C-ute’s costumes are uniform (outside of the colours, of course), while Berryz costumes are all over the place. Yurina’s got the capris, Maasa has that ugly one leg has a longer short than the other.. Chinami’s short-shorts are hot. Miya’s ruffly skirt is cute. But really, on the whole Berryz got the short end of the stick again.

30. MC6

31. Sakura Chirari
I am not much of a fan of this song. I think the outfits from this PV (which I really abhor) have stuck with me, and I just can’t really get into this song. I never have it on my playlist and I never listen to it unless it’s in a concert. It’s not a horrible song, and they all perform it well, but I guess it is kind of a let down for the final song, seeing as I’m not a huge fan of it. >_<

So, I totally loved this concert! I’ve been waiting with bated breath since it was announced, and it did not disappoint me! Outside of Risako’s performance in Very Beauty, no one really upset/disappointed me in this concert, so that’s total win!

The fact that Miya and Maimi were the orange Kamen and Ranger killed me because after seeing zush’s battle concert t-shirt I became far too tempted and succumbed to the urge to buy BOTH Miya and Maimi’s battle concert shirts.

Now I’m looking forward to seeing Morning Musume’s spring concert where they will be performing all of their singles. It’ll be interesting to see how that goes. ^_^

This entry was posted on Friday, July 11th, 2008 at 1:26 am and is filed under Concert, Hello! Project, Review, Wonderful Hearts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.